Fodder-fork.



UNITE) STATES;

`PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN M. VVOLFE,l OF KELLOGG, MINNESOTA.

' FoDDER-FORK.-

i Specification of Letters Patent.

yPatented. Nov. 28, 19x05.

Application filed. September 1'3, 1905.. Serial No. 278,260.

sheaves or bundles of stalks, such as corn-A bracing-prong on each side of the piercing-l tine, provided on theirends with rounding or other shaped antipiercing devices. The piercing-tine is designed' to easily enter the sheaf to a great extent, piercing any stalks that may be in the path of its point, while the lateral prongs are not meant to enter the bundle, but by engaging its side/s to steady it to a necessary or appreciable degree on the speartine.

The accompanying drawings form-a part of this specification and are to be referred to as.

such, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inven-y tion detached from the handle. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same and showing the lateral prongs as spread or parted toasomewhat greater extent. Fig. 3 shows the invention complete by havingthe handle applied thereto.

The handle a may be of wood or other material of the nature of a pole and may be as long and of as great diameter as is suitable and has a ferrule t secured on its forward socketed end, in which socket (not shown) the shank c of the fork is driven in such Way that the long spearlike tine al appears as an extension thereof. The piercing-tine d is, as stated,quite long relatively to the lateral prongs e e, as is best indicated in Figs. l and 3. A slight recurvate bend is given to the long piercing-tine, as the said last-mentioned figures also show.- The prongs e e are parted to the extent that may be desired (being more widely separated,

if wanted, where large bundles are to be handled than where the bundles are smaller) and extend forward substantially in the same plane as the piercing-tine and are, as before stated and as is shown, much shorter than the piercing-tine. The prongs e e are, moreover, provided on their ends with rounded or other' shaped devices that'will act to retard or prevent them from piercing the sheaves or bundles. It is not necessary that the lateral ing the sheaves nor that they should be conlined to any particular form or length. It is their office to steady or brace the bundle to an appreciable degree on the piercing-tine, which extends between them and muchbeyond their forward ends.

As has been already intimated, the invention is the outgrowth of experience, and the form and length of the piercing-tine and the relative arrangement and form of the lateral supporting or bracing prongs with respect to the vsaid tine is shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, though of course I do not limit myinvention to any precise shape o r length so long as the construction comes within the nature and spirit of the invention and the several parts and features are capable of performing the functions and of having the .mode of operation ascribed to them.

It is not contemplated to have the laterallyarranged short non-piercing prongs exceed two in number, one on each side of the piercing-tine, nor is it designed to have less than two bracing or supporting prongs. In all cases the non-piercing prongs will be laterally arranged with respect to the long piercingtine.

The improvements wrought by me as a whole enable the sheaf to be easily pierced to 9 great'length and depth, to be held upon the tine while being conveyed or carried from place to place, and to be handily and easily discharged from the fork.

I claiml. A fodder-fork havingahandle, and a centrally-arranged long piercing-tine extending forward from the forward end thereof and having a recurvate bend th'erein, combined with relatively short laterally-arranged, non-piercing prongs, branching out from the base of the said piercing-tine.

2. Afodder-fork havingahandle, anda centrally-arranged long piercing-tine extending forward from the forward end thereof and havprongs shouldbe kept absolutely from enter- IOO SVA.

ing a reeurvate bend therein, combined with bined With short laterally-arranged non-piere- I0 relatively short laterally-arranged bracing or 4 ing devices. supporting prongs, one on each side of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature in piercingtine, the said laterally arranged presence of two subscribing" Witnesses.

5 bracing-prongs two in number being provided on their ends with non-piercing devices. JOHN M' Vl OLFE 3. A fodder-fork having a pole-handle, a cen- Witnesses:

trally-arranged long, piercing-tine extending H. W. CANFIELD,

forward from the forward end thereof, corn- J. E. PHILLIPS. 

